U.S. patent number 4,236,356 [Application Number 06/001,050] was granted by the patent office on 1980-12-02 for cutting saw and concrete groover.
Invention is credited to John D. Ward.
United States Patent |
4,236,356 |
Ward |
December 2, 1980 |
Cutting saw and concrete groover
Abstract
An apparatus for cutting material or grooving concrete has a
housing including a curved top for partially accommodating one or
more circular saw blades. The housing has a bottom having an
opening permitting partial protrusion of the saw blade into cutting
engagement with the material or concrete to be cut or grooved. For
manual propulsion of the housing along such material or concrete, a
curved handle is located on the housing top and has identically
dimensioned first and second handle portions extending in parallel
to the partially accommodated and protruding saw blade or blades in
opposite directions from a central location on the housing top
situated opposite the mentioned bottom. The partially accommodated
and protruding saw blade is rotated and the housing including the
mentioned bottom is maintained in spaced relationship to the
material to be cut or concrete to be grooved during operation of
the saw blade or blades.
Inventors: |
Ward; John D. (Altadena,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
21694143 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/001,050 |
Filed: |
January 5, 1979 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
451/352;
125/13.01; 125/14; 125/4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23D
45/165 (20130101); B23D 59/02 (20130101); B27B
9/02 (20130101); B28D 1/183 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B23D
59/02 (20060101); B23D 45/16 (20060101); B23D
59/00 (20060101); B28D 1/18 (20060101); B23D
45/00 (20060101); B27B 9/00 (20060101); B27B
9/02 (20060101); B24B 023/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;51/176,17PT
;125/13R,135S,4,6,14 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
|
|
643649 |
|
Apr 1937 |
|
DE2 |
|
958513 |
|
Mar 1950 |
|
FR |
|
962371 |
|
Jun 1950 |
|
FR |
|
Other References
Diamond Concrete Channel Cutter DTC-50, Ishihara Kikai Kogyo Co.
Ltd., dated prior to Jan. 5, 1979..
|
Primary Examiner: Whitehead; Harold D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Benoit Law Corporation
Claims
I claim:
1. In apparatus for cutting material with a circular saw blade, the
improvement comprising in combination:
a housing including a curved top for partially accommodating the
saw blade, and a bottom having an opening permitting partial
protrusion of the saw blade from the housing;
means for enabling manual propulsion of the housing along said
material, including a curved handle on said top extending in
parallel to said partially accommodated and protruding saw blade
between diametrically opposed locations on said top;
means connected to the housing and the saw blade for rotating said
partially accommodated and protruding saw blade; and
means connected to the housing for guiding the saw blade in cutting
engagement with said material and for maintaining the housing
including said bottom in spaced relationship to said material
during cutting with the saw blade.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said rotating means include means for rotating said blade about an
axis situated in a plane intersecting said locations between which
said handle extends.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said handle has a first handle portion extending from a central
location on said top situated opposite said bottom to one of said
diametrically opposed locations, and a second handle portion
extending from said central location on said top to the other of
said diametrically opposed locations.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein:
said rotating means include means for rotating said blade about an
axis situated in a first plane intersecting said central location
and in a second plane extending at right angles to said first plane
and intersecting said diametrically opposed locations.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein:
said first and second handle portions have identical sizes.
6. In apparatus for cutting material with a circular saw blade, the
improvement comprising in combination:
a housing including a curved top for partially accommodating the
saw blade, and a bottom having an opening permitting partial
protrusion of the saw blade from the housing;
means for enabling manual propulsion of the housing along said
material, including a curved handle on said top having identically
dimensioned first and second handle portions extending in parallel
to said partially accommodated and protruding saw blade in opposite
directions from a central location on said top situated opposite
said bottom;
means connected to the housing and the saw blade for rotating said
partially accommodated and protruding saw blade; and
means connected to the housing for guiding the saw blade in cutting
engagement with said material and for maintaining the housing
including said bottom in spaced relationship to said material
during cutting with the saw blade.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein:
said handle and curved top are integral with each other.
8. In apparatus for cutting material with a circular saw blade, the
improvement comprising in combination:
a housing including a curved top for partially accommodating the
saw blade, having a lateral first opening to one side of said
partially accommodated saw blade, and a bottom having a second
opening permitting partial protrusion of the saw blade from the
housing;
means for enabling manual propulsion of the housing along said
material, including a handle on said top extending in parallel to
the partially accommodated and protruding saw blade;
means connected to the housng and saw blade for rotating said
partially accommodated and protruding saw blade, including a
mounting plate structure for closing said lateral first opening,
means for releasably attaching said mounting plate structure to
said curved top at said lateral first opening, a shaft for mounting
said saw blade, means connected to said housing and mounting plate
structure for rotatably mounting said shaft, a motor mounted on
said mounting plate structure, and means for coupling said motor to
said shaft for driving said saw blade; and
means connected to the housing for guiding the saw blade in cutting
engagement with said material and for maintaining the housing
including said bottom in spaced relationship to said material
during cutting with the saw blade.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein:
said motor is a hydraulic motor having an output shaft coaxial
with, and coupled to, said mounting shaft.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein:
said motor is an electric motor having an output shaft spaced from
said mounting shaft; and
said means for coupling said motor to said shaft include a gear
having an input connected to said output shaft and an output
connected to said mounting shaft.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein:
said mounting plate structure has a first plate for closing said
lateral first opening and accommodating said gear, and a second
plate attached to said first plate for mounting said electric
motor.
12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein:
said handle is curved and extends between diametrically opposed
locations on said top.
13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein:
said handle is curved and extends between diametrically opposed
locations on said top; and
said mounting shaft extends in a plane intersecting said
diametrically opposed locations.
14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein:
said handle has first and second handle portions extending in
opposite directions from a central location on said top situated
opposite said bottom.
15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein:
said handle has first and second handle portions having identical
sizes and extending in opposite directions from a central location
on said top situated opposite said bottom.
16. In apparatus for grooving concrete with a stack of mutually
spaced, parallel circular concrete saw blades, the improvement
comprising in combination:
a housing including a curved top for partially accommodating the
stack of saw blades, and a bottom having an opening permitting
partial protrusion of the stack of saw blades from the housing;
means for enabling manual propulsion of the housing along concrete
being grooved, including a curved handle on said top having
identically dimensioned first and second handle portions extending
in parallel to said saw blades and in opposite directions from a
central location on said top situated opposite said bottom;
means connected to the housing and saw blade stack for rotating
said partially accommodated and protruding saw blade stack;
means connected to the housing for guiding the saw blade stack in
cutting engagement with the concrete and for maintaining the
housing including said bottom in spaced relationship to the
concrete during grooving with the saw blade stack; and
means for cooling said saw blades.
17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein:
said first and second handle portions extend, respectively, to
diametrically opposed locations on said top.
18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein:
said rotating means include means for rotating said blade stack
about an axis situated in a first plane intersecting said central
location and in a second plane extending at right angles to said
first plane and intersecting said diametrically opposed
locations.
19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein:
said handle and curved top are integral with each other.
20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein:
said housng has a lateral opening at said curved top to one side of
said partially accomodated saw blade, a mounting plate structure
for closing said lateral opening and means for releasably attaching
said mounting plate structure to said curved top; and
said rotating means include a shaft for mounting said saw blade,
means connected to said housing and mounting plate structure for
rotatably mounting said shaft, a motor mounted on said mounting
plate structure, and means for coupling said motor to said shaft
for driving said saw blade.
21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20,
wherein:
said cooling means include means connected to said housing for
conducting a coolant to said housing and a distributor for guiding
said conducted coolant into contact with said saw blades.
22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 6, 8 or 16, wherein:
said guiding and spaced relationship maintaining means include
wheels and means for rotatably mounting said wheels on said
housing.
23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 6, 8 or 16, wherein:
said guiding and spaced relationship maintaining means include
means connected to said housing for setting the housing at said
bottom at various inclinations relative to a surface of said
material.
24. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 6, 8 or 16, including:
means for guiding said apparatus along a surface extending parallel
to any circular saw blade, including wheels projecting laterally
from said housing and means for mounting said wheels for rotation
about an axis extending parallel to the latter saw blade.
25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein:
said rotating means include a shaft for mounting said stack of saw
blades, first means connected to the shaft at one side of said
stack for mounting the shaft for rotation relative to said housing,
second means connected to said shaft at an opposite side of said
stack for mounting the shaft for rotation relative to said housing,
and means connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft and mounted
stack of saw blades.
26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein:
said stack include spacers on the shaft for retaining the saw
blades in mutually spaced, parallel relationship.
27. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein:
said first and second means include first and second collars
connected to said shaft for releasably retaining said stack of
blades therebetween.
28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein:
said shaft and stack rotating means include a motor having an
output shaft; and
said shaft has a bore for receiving said output shaft in
force-transmitting relationship.
29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein:
said shaft and stack rotating means include a rotary drive having
an output gear; and
said shaft has a keyed end for receiving said output gear.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to cutting and grooving implements
and techniques, including concrete cutting and grooving apparatus,
and, more specifically, to apparatus for cutting material with a
circular saw blade and apparatus for grooving concrete with a stack
of mutually spaced saw blades.
2. Prior-Art Statement
Concrete cutting and grooving equipment is in widespread use at
construction sites and in connection with various concrete
structures. For instance, concrete grooving machines have been
employed in large numbers in order to render concrete highways
safer by the provision of a multitude of parallel grooves in their
surfaces. A grooving technique is now also employed to increase the
safety of concrete steps and similar structures where slipping by
people could be a problem. In fact, the utility and increased
safety of concrete step grooving has been recognized through
pertinent regulatory provisions of the United States Occupational
Safety and Health Administration.
In executing concrete step and similar grooving jobs, best results
in terms of feasibility, efficiency and quality are generally
obtained with equipment that is manually propelled along the
concrete step or other structure to be grooved. Unfortunately,
highway-type grooving machines are not suitable or adaptable to the
grooving of steps or similar structures. A previously proposed
concrete step groover was a cross between a plane and skill saw,
having a bottom which was supposed to slide along the surface of
the concrete structure to be cut, and a handle extending
transversely to the direction of sliding advance of the groover.
Nothing is known here of any practical operability of that type of
prior-art groover.
In this area, and in other fields wherein material is grooved or
cut by one or more circular saw blades, there exists a need for
handy apparatus that can conveniently be operated on top of steps
or in close quarters by right-handed and left-handed persons. There
also exists a need for such equipment which is conveniently and
efficiently adaptable to either hydraulic or electric drive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of this invention to overcome the
disadvantages and satisfy the needs expressed or implicit in the
above mentioned prior-art statement.
It is a related object of this invention to provide improved
apparatus and techniques for cutting material with one or more
circular saw blades.
It is a germane object of this invention to provide improved
apparatus and techniques for grooving concrete with a stack of
mutually spaced circular saw blades.
It is also an object of this invention to improve the manual
operability of cutting and grooving equipment of the circular saw
type.
It is a related object of this invention to provide improved
cutting or grooving equipment that is as conveniently manageable
and operable by a left-handed person, than by a right-handed
person.
Other objects of this invention will become apparent in the further
course of this disclosure.
From one aspect thereof, the subject invention resides in apparatus
for cutting material with a circular saw blade and, more
specifically, resides in the improvement comprising, in
combination, a housing including a curved top for partially
accommodating the saw blade, and a bottom having an opening
permitting partial protrusion of the saw blade from the housing,
means for enabling manual propulsion of the housing along the
material, including a curved handle on the top extending in
parallel to the partially accommodated and protruding saw blade
between diametrically opposed locations on the top, means connected
to the housing and the saw blade for rotating the partially
accommodated and protruding saw blade, and means connected to the
housing for guiding the saw blade in cutting engagement with the
material and for maintaining the housing including the bottom in
spaced relationship to the material during cutting with the saw
blade.
From another aspect thereof, the subject invention resides in
apparatus for cutting material with a circular saw blade and, more
specifically, resides in the improvement comprising, in
combination, a housing including a curved top for partially
accommodating the saw blade, and a bottom having an opening
permitting partial protrusion of the saw blade from the housing,
means for enabling manual propulsion of the housing along the
material, including a curved handle on the top having identically
dimensional first and second handle portions extending in parallel
to the partially accommodated and protruding saw blade in opposite
directions from a central location on the top situated opposite the
bottom, means connected to the housing and the saw blade for
rotating the partially accommodated and protruding saw blade, and
means connected to the housing for guiding the saw blade in cutting
engagement with the material and for maintaining the housing
including the bottom in spaced relationship to the material during
cutting with the saw blade.
From another aspect thereof, the subject invention resides in
apparatus for cutting material with a circular saw blade and, more
specifically, resides in the improvement comprising, in
combination, a housing including a curved top for partially
accommodating the saw blade, having a lateral first opening to one
side of the partially accommodated saw blade, and a bottom having a
second opening permitting partial protrusion of the saw blade from
the housing, means for enabling manual propulsion of the housing
along the material, including a handle on the top extending in
parallel to the partially accommodated and protruding saw blade,
means connected to the housing and saw blade for rotating the
partially accommodated and protruding saw blade, including a
mounting plate structure for closing the lateral first opening,
means for releasably attaching the mounting plate structure to the
curved top at the lateral first opening, a shaft for mounting the
saw blade, means connected to the housing and mounting plate
structure for rotatably mounting the shaft, a motor mounted on the
mounting plate structure, and means for coupling the motor to the
shaft for driving the saw blade, and means connected to the housing
for guiding the saw blade in cutting engagement with the material
and for maintaining the housing including the bottom in spaced
relationship to the material during cutting with the saw blade.
From another aspect thereof, the subject invention resides in
apparatus for grooving concrete with a stack of mutually spaced,
parallel circular concrete saw blades and, more specifically,
resides in the improveemtn comprising, in combination, a housing
including a curved top for partially accommodating the stack of saw
blades, and a bottom having openings permitting partial protrusion
of the stack of saw blades from the housing, means for enabling
manual propulsion of the housing along concrete being grooved,
including a curved handle on the top having identically dimensioned
first and second handle portions extending in parallel to the saw
blades and in opposite directions from a central location on the
top situated opposite the bottom, means connected to the housing
and saw blade stack for rotating the partially accommodated and
protruding saw blade stack, means connected to the housing for
guiding the saw blade stack in cutting engagement with the concrete
and for maintaining the housing including the bottom in spaced
relationship to the concrete during grooving with the saw blade
stack, and means for cooling the saw blades.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The subject invention and its various aspects and objects will
become more readily apparent from the following detailed
description of preferred embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of
example in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference
numerals designate like or functionally equivalent parts, and in
which:
FIG. 1 is an elevation of a concrete grooving apparatus in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the subject invention,
and a section through an adjacent concrete slab, with a front
mounting plate having been omitted from the apparatus in the
showing of FIG. 1 for increased clarity;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, with
attached front mounting plate and associated parts;
FIG. 3 is a top view, partially in section, of part of the assembly
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and
FIGS. 4 and 5 are an elevatiion with removed second mounting plate
and a top view of a mounting plate and motor assembly usable in the
apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 3 in accordance with a further preferred
embodiment of the subject invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1 to 3 jointly illustrate an apparatus 10 for grooving
concrete 12 with a stack 13 of mutually spaced parallel circular
concrete saw blades 14, which may be of the diamond-studded type.
According to a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, this
apparatus or concrete groover 10 has a housing 15 including a
curved top 16 having an internal hollow space or cavity 17 for
partially accommodating the stack 13 of saw blades 14. The housing
15 has an open bottom 18. In particular, the housing bottom 18 has
an opening 21 permitting partial protrusion of the stack of blades
14 from the housing 15. If desired, a plate (not shown) could be
attached to the curved top 16 by suitable fasteners. In that case,
such plate (not shown) preferably would have openings permitting
partial protrusion of the stack of saw blades from the housing 15.
Typically, such openings (not shown) would be in the form of
parallel slots corresponding in number and position to the saw
blades 14 and being partially coextensive with the saw blades 14 at
the bottom of the housing 15.
The saw blades 14 are motor driven as more fully disclosed below.
The apparatus 10 as a whole is, however, manually propellable along
the concrete 12 being grooved. In practice, this is the best
approach for grooving or cutting jobs on steps or similarly
dimensioned work pieces or in confined quarters.
In order to enable such manual propulsion of the housing 15, the
apparatus 10 includes a curved handle on the housing top 16. In
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the subject invention,
this handle 23 has identically dimensioned first and second handle
portions 24 and 25 extending in parallel to the saw blades 14.
In particular, the handle portions 24 and 25 extend, respectively,
in opposite directions 26 and 27 from a central location 28
situated on the curved housing top 16 opposite the bottom 18.
By thus providing the handle 23 in two portions 24 and 25 of equal
size, running down opposite sides of the curved housing 16 from the
top loctiion 28, left-handed operators are benefited along with
right-handed personnel in a more versatile and efficient use of the
apparatus 10. In particular, a right-handed person would generally
prefer to propel the apparatus 10 via handle 25 along the concrete
slab 12 or other material to be grooved or cut. A left-handed
person, on the other hand, typically has more power in his left
hand and would, therefore, be more effective in propelling the
apparatus via handle portion 24. The handle 23 with its
bidirectionally extending handle portions 24 and 25 also permits a
person to handle the apparatus 10 with both hands, and especially
to lift the apparatus with both hands with a minimum of strain
because of the favorable weight distribution afforded by the
symmetrically configured handle 23.
In accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the
subject invention, the handle 23 extends between diametrically
opposed locations 27 and 28 on the curved top 16. The first handle
portion 24 thus extends from the central location 28 on the top to
one of the diametrically opposed locations, namely the location 27,
whereas the second handle portion 25 extends from the central
location 28 on the top to the other of the diametrically opposed
locations, namely the location 28.
Preferably, the stack 13 or blades 14 are rotated about an axis 31
situated in a first plane 32 intersecting the central top location
28, and in a second plane 33 extending at right angles to the first
plane 32 and intersecting the diametrically opposed locations 27
and 28. In this fashion, the force applied by the operator is
utilized in an optimum manner or at highest efficiency in
propelling the grooving or cutting apparatus 10 along the concrete
slab or other piece of material during the cutting or grooving
operation.
The handle 23 and curved top 16 preferably are integral with each
other. For instance, the curved housing top 16 and handle 23 may be
cast or injection molded in one piece from aluminum or from another
metal or an alloy.
According to the subject invention, the apparatus 10 includes means
connected to the housing 15 for guiding the stack 13 or saw blades
14 in cutting engagement with the concrete slab 12 or other
material, and for maintaining the housing 15 including the bottom
18 in spaced relationship to the concrete slab 12 or other material
during cutting thereof with the saw blades 14. In accordance with
the illustrated preferred embodiment, these guiding and spaced
relationship maintaining means include wheels 35 which are
rotatably and adjustably mounted on the housing 15. In particular,
the illustrated housing 15 has four lugs 36 projecting
therefrom.
In the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lugs 36 are integral
with the curved housing top 16 and are located at the bottom
18.
Each lug has a bore 37 which extends in parallel to the axis of
rotation 31 of the saw blades. Each lug 36 contains a cylindrical
wheel supporting member in the form of shafts 38 and 39 extending
through bores 37 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The shaft 38 has wheels
35 rotatably mounted on opposite ends thereof.
The shaft 39 has lugs 40 attached to opposite ends thereof and is
rotatable in the lugs 36 through which it extends. A further shaft
41 extends through the lugs and has wheels 35 rotatably mounted on
opposite end thereof. A set screw 42 is threaded in one of the lugs
36 to permit adjustment of the penetration of the saw blade edges
into the concrete slab 12 or other material to be grooved or
cut.
Initially, the set screws 42 is loosened and the cylindrical wheel
supporting structure including shaft 37, lug 40 and shaft 41 is
angularly moved relative to the lug bores 37 until the wheels 35 on
shaft 41 project sufficiently downward from the housing 15 or
bottom 18 to provide for a desired spacing between the bottom 18
and the concrete slab 12 or other material, and to provide at the
same time for a desired depth of the grooves 42' being cut into the
concrete slab 12 or other material by the saw blades 14 of the
apparatus 10. The set screw 42 is then tightened to arrest angular
movement of the shaft 39. If desired, the shaft 39 may have several
circumferentially distributed radial bores for receiving a tip of
the set screw 42 in order to maintain the wheel mounting lugs 40 in
any one of several set positions.
Within the broad scope of the subject invention, other adjustable
wheel systems or other workpiece-to-housing spacing means may be
employed instead of those shown in the drawings. However, the
illustrated preferred embodiment wherein the angularly adjustable
shaft 39 with associated lugs 40 and set screw 42 or equivalent
elements constitute means connected to the housing 15 for setting
such housing 15 at the bottom 18 at various inclinations relative
to the top surface of the concrete slab or step or of other
material being grooved or cut has special advantages.
The housing 15 has a lateral opening 43 at the curved top 16 to one
side of the partially accommodated stack 13 or saw blades 14. The
housing also includes a mounting plate structure 44 for closing
that lateral opening 43 and fasteners 45 or other means for
releasably attaching the mounting plate structure 44 to the curved
top 16.
According to the illustrated preferred embodiment of the subject
invention, the housing and mouting plate structure mount the stack
13 of saw blades 14 for rotation about an axis 31. In particular,
the housing 10 has a rear wall 46 provided with a boss 47
containing a hollow-cylindrical cavity 48. The mounting plate 44
similarly has a boss 51 containing a hollow-cylindrical cavity 52
and a bore 53 coaxial therewith.
The means for rotatably mounting and rotating the stack 13 include
a shaft 55 for mounting the saw blades 14. An axial ledge or key 56
engages a corresponding notch 57 in each saw blade, thereby
transmitting driving power via the shaft 55 to the saw blades 14
and preventing rotation of these saw blades relative to the shaft
55.
First and second collars 58 and 59 are connected to the shaft 55
for releasably retaining the stack 13 of blades 14 therebetween.
The stack 13 includes interdigitated annular spacers 61 on the
shaft 55 for retaining the saw blades 14 in mutually spaced,
parallel relationship. One of the collars 58 and 59 may be integral
with the shaft 55 and the other of these collars may be releasably
attachable to the shaft, in order to clamp the saw blades 14 with
interdigitated spacers 61 into a unitary stack 13. In the
illustrated preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the collar 59 is
releasably attached to the shaft 56 with a clamping screw 63, for
clamping the saw blade stack 13 against the collar 58 which is
preferably integral with the shaft 55.
Roller or ball bearings 65 and 66 are located in the corresponding
cylindrical cavities 48 and 52 of the housing wall 46 and mounting
plate structure 44. The bearings 65 and 66 engage the collars 59
and 58, respectively, for mounting the shaft 55 for rotation about
the axis 31. Conventional spring clip rings and corresponding
grooves (not shown) may be employed for preventing the bearings 65
and 66 from axially sliding along the collars 58 and 59.
As best seen in FIG. 1, the shaft 55 is rotatably mounted by the
bearings 65 and 66 to extend in the above mentioned vertical plane
32, which intersects the central top portion 28, and in the
horizontal plane 33 which intersects the diametrically opposed base
portions 27 and 28 of the curved elongate handle 23.
The blade stack mounting structure including the shaft 55 has an
axial nipple 68 through which rotary drive power is transmitted to
the saw blade 14 from a motor output shaft 69. To this end, the
nipple 68 has an axial bore 71 for receiving the power shaft 69 in
force-transmitting relationship. As shown, the axial bore 71 may
have a key way 72 for receiving an axial key 73 of the power shaft
69.
The power shaft 69, in turn, may be part of a drive motor 74 which
is attached to the block 51 of the mounting plate structure 44. An
axially extending second handle 75 may be attached to the mounting
structure 44 to permit the operator to use both hands on the
handles 23 and 75 while operating the cutting or grooving apparatus
10.
The drive motor 74 may, for instance, be a hydraulic motor,
inasmuch as hydraulic motors may be operated without a reduction
gear. In that case, the power shaft 69 is the output shaft of the
hydraulic motor, engaging the shaft structure 55 directly as shown
in FIG. 3, with the nipple 68 coupling the motor to the shaft for
driving the stack 13 or saw blades 14, and the motor output shaft
69 being coaxial with and coupled to the blade mounting shaft.
The apparatus 10 may also have means for cooling the saw blades 14.
In particular, a conduit 76 may conduct water or another coolant 77
from a coolant supply 78 to a coolant distributor 79 in the cavity
17 of the apparatus housing 15. The coolant distributor 79
preferably has at least as many apertures as there are saw blades
14, so that the coolant 77 may be splashed against the saw
blades.
The apparatus 10 also includes means for guiding the apparatus
along a surface 81 extending parallel to any circular blade 14 in
the stack 13 or, in other words, extending at right angles to the
surface being cut or grooved. As shwon in FIG. 2, these guiding
means preferably include wheels projecting laterally from the
housing 15 or mounting plate 44 and lugs 83 for mounting the
guiding wheels 82 for rotation about an axis extending parallel to
the saw blades 14 or at right angles to the axis of rotation 31 of
the saw blade stack 13. In this respect, the surface 81 may be a
riser surface of a step being grooved.
For example, the lugs 83 may be integral with and project laterally
from the mounting plate structure 44 and have shafts 84 for
rotatably mounting the wheels 82.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the means for rotating the blade stack
13 and shaft 55 may include a rotary drive 86 having an output gear
87, and the shaft 55 may have a keyed end 88 for receiving the
output gear 87. In particular, the drive 86 may be an electric
motor having an output shaft 89 spaced from the blade mounting
shaft 65 or shaft end 88. This motor may then be coupled to the
shaft 55 by the gear 87, having an input or pinion 91 connected to
the motor output shaft 89, and a gear wheel or output 92 connected
to the mounting shaft 55 via the keyed extension 88. The collar 58
and keyed extension 88 may be integral with the blade supporting
shaft 55. The remainder of the shaft shown in FIG. 5 may be
identical to the shaft shown in FIG. 3, and the collar 58 and
bearing 66 constitute first means in the structures of FIGS. 3 and
5 connected to the shaft 65 at one side of the stack 13 for
mounting the shaft for rotation relative to the housing 15.
Similarly, the shaft structures of FIGS. 3 and 5 include the
releasably attached collars 59 and bearing 65 as second means
connected to the shaft at an opposite side of the stack 13 for
mounting the shaft for rotation relative to the housing 15.
According to FIGS. 4 and 5, the motor 86 is associated with a
mounting structure 94 having a first plate 95 for closing the
lateral first opening 43 of the curved housing top 16 and for
accommodating the gear 87.
In particular, the part of the mounting plate structure 94 just
mentioned is similar in configuration to the mounting plate
structure 14, having a boss or block 96 for accommodating the gear
87 in cavities corresponding to the gear wheels 91 and 92. As in
the case of the mounting plate structure 44, the first plate 95
carries the above mentioned lateral guiding wheels 82 by means of
laterally projecting mounting lugs 83.
The mounting structure 94 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 also includes a
second plate 97 seen in FIG. 5. This second plate 97 is attached to
the first plate 95 or block 96 by fasteners 98. The motor 86 is
similarly attached to the second plate 97, with such second plate
being thus attached to the first plate for mounting the preferably
electric motor 86.
The mounting structure 94 with attached motor 86 may be attached to
the curved housing top 16 in lieu of the mounting plate structure
44 with attached motor 74. In that case, a blade mounting shaft
having the keyed extension 88 is employed in lieu of the blade
mounting shaft with keyed bore extension 68 shown in FIG. 3.
The subject invention and its illustrated embodiments thus meet the
initially recited objectives in providing convenient and effective
convertability among different drives, such as hydraulic and
electric drives. This driving power medium convertability may be
paired with the above mentioned right and left hand usability ot
provide an effective manually actuable and easily manageable power
tool.
While the illustrated concrete groover is presently believed to
constitute the best mode for carrying the subject invention into
effect, the utility of the invention extends to other cutting
equipment using one or more circular saw blades. Especially in the
manually operated circular saw area, the subject invention
satisfies a need for equipment that can conveniently and
effectively be operated by right and left-handed people, and
satisfies also a need for circular saws that are readily adaptable
to different power drives, such as hydraulic, electric and gasoline
motor drives.
Various other modifications and variations within the spirit and
scope of the subject invention will become apparent or will be
suggested to those skilled in the art by the subject extensive
disclosure.
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